Atomizing wheel



'Mareh 5,' 1963 F. R. CORDUA 3,080,122

ATOMIZING WHEEL Filed Sept. 30, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV ENT OR 122271?ma March 5, 1963 F. R. CORDUA 3,080,122

ATOMIZING WHEEL Filed Sept. 30. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5a 3 v I [33 .2534/ United States Patent Office 3,080,122 Patented Mar. 5, 19633,080,122 ATOMIZING WHEEL Havre de Grace, Md., asignor to J. M.

Fred R. Cordua,

Tex., a corporation of Huber Corporation, Borger,

The present invention relates to an atomizin-g wheel and particularly toa wear-resistant wheel.

In modern atom-izing practices, the material to be dried is suspended ina water slurry and is fed onto an atomizing wheel turning at a high rateof speed. The material engages a plurality of atomizing pins positionedabout the perimeter of the wheel and is atomized hereby for contact witha current of gas. The material suspended in the water slurry has anabrasive action on the atomizing wheel, brought about by the inherentabrasiveness of the material and the shearing forces resulting from thehigh rate of rotation of the wheel. In prior art structures theatomizing wheels have had an extremely short life and a high replacementcost such as to materially reduce the effectiveness of the atomizer asan economic apparatus.

The primary obg'ect of the invention is to provide an atomizing wheelhaving relatively inexpensive replaceable wear surfaces positioned inthe areas of maximum wear of the wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an atomizing wheel formedof a plurality of demountable elements such as to permit inexpensivereplacement of worn elements when necessary.

A further object of the invention is to provide an atomizing wheelhaving replaceable wear surface elements formed with a minimum ofmachining to ensure the lowest possible cost of manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an atomizing wheelhaving replaceable wear surface elements formed of hardenedabrasive-resistant materials to increase the effective life of thewheel.

An object of the invention is to provide a structure of the classdescribed above in which the replaceable Wear surface elements can beinverted to increase the over-all service of the elements prior toreplacement.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the followingspecification when considered in light of the attached drawings inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the atomizer wheel;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the wheel as viewed from the line 2-2 ofFIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the wheel as viewed from the line 3-3of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like figures, thereference numeral indicates generally an atomizer wheel constructed inaccordance with the invention.

The wheel 10 includes a hub 11 having an axial vertical bore 12extending therethrough. A rectangular keyway 13 is formed in the bore 12and is coextensive therewith. The hub 11 is adapted for mounting on adrive shaft 14 shown in broken lines in FIGURES 1 and 4.

The hub 11 has a generally cylindrical lower portion 15 and a radiallyoutwardly extending body 16 integrally formed on the upper end thereof.The body 16 has a flat lower face 17 extending perpendicularly to theaxis of the bore 12. An upper face 18 is formed on the body 16 parallelto the face 17 and having a diameter substantially smaller than that ofthe face 17. A concave frusto-conical surface 19 sloping generallydownwardly and outwardly connects the peripheral edges of the faces 17and 18 as can be best seen in FIGURE 4. The hub 11 including the lowerend 15 and the body 16 is formed integrally of easily machined metal. Aplurality of circumferentially equispaced threaded bores 20 is formed inthe body 16 opening through the lower 'face 17 thereof. The bores 20 arearranged with their axes equispaced outwardly of and parallel to theaxis of the bore '12.

A flat disk 21 formed of abrasive-resisting hardened metal is providedwith an axial bore 22 to permit the cylindrical lower portion 15' of thehub 11 to extend therethrough. The disk 21 has a plurality of bores 23arranged therein for aligned relation to the bores 20 of the body 16. Aplurality of cap screws 24 extends through the bores 23 into the bores20 to detachably secure the disk 21 to the hub 11.

A flat annular ring 25 is positioned beneath the outer edges of the disk21 and is detachably secured thereto by a plurality of cap screws 26arranged in equispaced relation thereabout. The ring 25 is formed ofeasily machined material similar to the hub 11. The disk 21 is providedwith a plurality of circumferentially equispaced bores 27 arranged inclosely spaced relation to the outer edge of the disk 21. The axes ofthe bores 27 lie on a circle concentric with the bore 12. The ring 25underlies the bores 27 and is provided with a bore 28 axially alignedwith each bore 27 in the disk 21. The bores 28 are substantially smallerthan the bores 27 as is clearly shown in FIGURE 4.

A tubular atomizing pin 29 has its lower end seated in each of the bores27 supported by the ring 25. An annular plate 30 is supported on theupper ends of the pins 29 and has a downwardly and outwardly slopingaxial aperture 31 formed therein. The aperture 31 is substantiallylarger than the bore 22 in the disk 21.

An annular wear plate 32 is positioned in engage ment with the undersideof the plate 30 and has an axial bore 33 formed therein slightly largerthan the aperture 31. The wear plate 32 has a plurality of bores 34formed therein to receive the upper ends of the pins 29. A plurality ofbevel-head screws 35 secure the annular plate 30 and the annular wearplate 32 together. The annular plate 30 has a countersunk bore 36arranged therein axially of each of the bores 34 in the wear plate 32and somewhat smaller than the bores 34.

A bevel-headed bolt 37 extends through the annular plate 30, througheach of the tubular pins 29 and through the annular ring 25. A nut 38 ismounted on each of the bolts 37 to lock the disk 21, ring 25, plate 30,wear plate 32, and the pins 29 into a rigid operating unit. The plate 30is formed of easily machined material similar to ring 25, and wear plate32 is formed of abrasion-resisting hardened material similar to the disk21. The tubular pins 29 are also formed of material similar to the disk21 and wear plate 32.

In the use and operation of the invention, the abrasive wear on thewheel 10 occurs chiefly in the area adjacent the opposite ends of thepins 29. The disk 21 and wear plate 32 being formed of hardened materialwill wear much more slowly in these areas than will conventionalmaterials. In addition to wearing more slowly, the disk 21 and plate 32are each identical top and bottom so that they may be inverted afterwearing on one side to provide additional wear on the opposite side.

The disk 21 and wear plate 32 are each of a flat annular form and can beproduced without resorting to expensive machining or other costlyfabricating processes, The hub 11, while requiring machining to produce,receives practically none of the wear and is formed of relativelyinexpensive easily machined material. The hub 11 will outlast a greatnumber of disks 21 and wear plates 32 so that the cost of wheelreplacement is materially reduced by following the teachings of theinvention described above.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, itshould be understood that numerous structural modifications andadaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. An atomizing wheel for atomizers comprising a central hub, a flatdisk detachably secured to said hub and extending radially outwardlytherefrom, an annular fiat wear plate arranged in spaced apart parallelrelation overlying said disk, a plurality of tubular atomizing pinsextending between said disk and said wear plate adjacent the outer edgesthereof, an annular flat ring underlying said disk adjacent the outeredge thereof, an annular flat plate overlying said Wear plate adjacentthe outer edge thereof, means detachably Connecting said annular flatplate and said wear plate and a plurality of bolts extending through anddetachably securing said annular plate, said wear plate, said pins, saiddisk and said ring rigidly together.

2. An atomizing wheel for atomizers comprising a central hub having anaxial bore therein, a plurality of tubular atomizing pins arranged incircumferentially equispaced relation in equispaced parallel relation tothe axis of said bore, a flat disk detachably secured to said hub inperpendicular relation to the axis of said bore, said disk having aplurality of bores receiving the lower end portions of said pins, a fiatwear plate arranged in spaced parallel relation to said disk and havinga plurality of bores receiving the upper end portions of said pins, aring detachably secured to said disk underlying said pins, an annularplate detachably secured to said wear plate overlying said pins, andmeans extending through and detachably rigidly securing together saidannular plate, said wear plate, each of said pins, said disk and saidring.

3. An atomizing wheel for atomizers comprising a central hub, a flatdisk detachably secured to said hub and extending radially outwardlytherefrom, an annular flat Wear plate arranged in spaced apart parallelrelation overlying said disk, a plurality of tubular atomizing pinsextending between said disk and said wear plate adjacent the outer edgesthereof, an annular flat ring underlying said disk adjacent the outeredge thereof, an annular flat plate overlying said wear plate adjacentthe outer edge thereof, means detachably connecting said annular fiatplate and said wear plate and a plurality of bolts extending through anddetachably securing said annular plate, said wear plate, said pins, saiddisk and said ring rigidly together, said disk, said wear plate and saidtubular pins being formed of hardened abrasion-resisting metal.

4. An atomizing wheel for atomizers comprising a central hub having anaxial bore therein, a plurality of tubular atomizing pins arranged incircumferentially equispaced relation in equispaced parallel relation tothe axis of said bore, a flat disk detachably secured to said hub inperpendicular relation to the axis of said bore, said disk having aplurality of bores receiving the lower end portions of said pins, a fiatwear plate arranged in spaced parallel relation to said disk and havinga plurality of bores receiving the upper end portions of said pins, aring detachably secured to said disk underlying said pins, an annularplate detachably secured to said wear plate overlying said pins, andmeans extending through and detachably rigidly securing together saidannular plate, said wear plate, each of said pins, said disk and saidring, said disk, said wear plate and said tubular pins being formed ofhardened abrasion-resisting metal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,190,386 Dickerson July 11, 1916 1,659,683 Dougan Feb. 21, 19281,897,744 Wilkins Feb. 14, 1933 1,969,545 Bollard Aug. 7, 1934 2,406,532Tahrenwald Aug. 27, 1946 2,693,877 Drake Nov, 9, 1954 2,706,108 MinerApr. 12, 1955 2,743,914 Epprecht May 1, 1956 2,920,830 Nyrop et al Jan.12, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 520,347 Italy Mar. 21, 1955

2. AN ATOMIZING WHEEL FOR ATOMIZERS COMPRISING A CENTRAL HUB HAVING ANAXIAL BORE THEREIN, A PLURALITY OF TUBULAR ATOMIZING PINS ARRANGED INCIRCUMFERENTIALLY EQUISPACED RELATION IN EQUISPACED PARALLEL RELATION TOTHE AXIS OF SAID BORE, A FLAT DISK DETACHABLY SECURED TO SAID HUB INPERPENDICULAR RELATION TO THE AXIS OF SAID BORE, SAID DISK HAVING APLURALITY OF BORES RECEIVING THE LOWER END PORTIONS OF SAID PINS, A FLATWEAR PLATE ARRANGED IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION TO SAID DISK AND HAVINGA PLURALITY OF BORES RECEIVING THE UPPER END PORTIONS OF SAID PINS, ARING DETACHABLY SECURED TO SAID DISK UNDERLYING SAID PINS, AN ANNULARPLATE DETACHABLY SECURED TO SAID WEAR PLATE OVERLYING SAID PINS, ANDMEANS EXTENDING THROUGH AND DETACHABLY RIGIDLY SECURING TOGETHER SAIDANNULAR PLATE, SAID WEAR PLATE, EACH OF SAID PINS, SAID DISK AND SAIDRING.